Circular type wash rack or laundry



Nov. l2, 1935. A. A. sMALLHoUsE CIRCULAR TYPE WASH RACK OR LAUNDRYoriginal Filed Nov, 14, 1927 \`I i i Patented Nov. 1K2,- 1935 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE signo'r to Gillespie Auto Laundry System, Inc.,Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Original application November14, 1927, Serial No. 233,245. Divided and this application March 6,1929, Serial No. 344,767

6 Claims.

My invention relates to automobile Wash racks, and the subject matter ofthe present application is a division from application Serial No.233,245, filed November 14, 1927, fo-r patent upon Autobile cleaningsystems.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of meansthat will permit of the rapid handling of automobiles while in slowtransit and while the automobiles to be treated are so arranged withrespect to one another that they may be progressively presented tolaborers or operatives during the different stages of the washing,cleaning and possibly the polishing of such automobiles, and thearrangement of a means Aor mechanism which will permit automobiles to berapidly and progressively conducted to a point where they may proceedover a course the area of which is calculated to allow for a completetreatment of an automobile during theinterval from its receipt in thecourse to the time that the treated automobile is discharged or deviatedtherefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a compact arrangement ofrespective mechanisms which will handle a large number of automobileswithin a space of minimum proportion and with speed, low expense andthoroughness.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which willoperate to cause trans- -lation of a series of automobiles along a fixedor defined course, while holding the automobiles relatively spaced apartso as to avoid any accidental or damaging thrusting of one automobileagainst another in the series, while providing a `working space betweenadjacent automobiles of the series for the accommodation of the laborersor operatives while the automobiles areV undergoing treatment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a compactmechanism characterized bya course over which automobiles to be treatedcan be moved and means provided within the boundary of the said coursewhereby automobiles can be selectively deflected from the course andpresented to a point where the work of greasing,

of lubricating or repairing mechanical parts of the automobile can beconducted.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved rack or laundry with parts insection and parts broken away for the purpose of clearness;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 2 2 ofFigure 1; and

f Figure 3 is a transverse section taken substan- 'tially on the line'3-3 of Figure 1.

In carrying the invention into practice, use is made of a stationaryplatform 5 on which automobiles are adapted to be received and moved.This platform is in the nature of a concrete foundation or iioor of abuilding 6, preferably of rectangular design in horizontal section, andas illustrated the said platform is provided with concentrically spacedapart wheel guides 'I and 8 against which the wheels of an automobilemay ride in contact, so as to guide the automobile over a definedcourse. `In the present instance, andfrom the fact that the wheel guides'I and 8 are in concentric relation with respect to each other, thecourse established for the passage of automobiles under treatment iscircular. I, however, do not wish to be limited in this respect and haveillustrated a circular form because of the extreme convenience which itprovides for the quick handling of automobiles. It will be understoodthat the space between the aforementioned wheel guides 'I and 8 is socalculated that it will accommodate the running gear of an automobilepositioned upon the course so as to dispose the wheels thereof inrelatively close proximity to the respective guides. These guides,therefore, serve to define the course over which the automobiles are tobe drawn and to prevent deflection of the automobiles from the course.

The platform 5 is formed with a trench 9 which is medially positionedwith respect to the two concentric guides I and 8. Within the trench areplaced as many idler pulleys I0 as may be found sufficient to sustain acalculated load and which are further intended as a means for reducingfriction between co-acting moving parts of my mechanism. Superposed withrespect to these idlers is a pulley or circular T-shaped rail II havinga base portion or head which freely rests upon the idlers. This pulleyor rail is formed at one side with a groove I2 around which is trained acable I3. Welded or otherwise secured to the said pulley or rail I I isa circular steel plate I 4 which slightly clears the upper surface ofthe platform 5 so as to avoid friction. Supported by the said plate I4are pivoted grab or conveyer hooks I5 which are capable of being tiltedin an upward direction manually so as to engage with the axle of anautomobileas conventionally illustrated in Figure 2. The said steelplate I4 is concentrically disposed with respect to the aforementionedguides 1 and 8, and the plate is of a width so as to expose surfaces Aand B, respectively, of the platform over which the wheels of anautomobile may freely travel.

Therefore, these surfaces A and B are so positioned that they co-actwith the guides I and 8 to assist the latter in an intended translationof automobiles along a defined path. The said hooks I5 are spaced apartrelatively so that they may be respectively engaged with automobileswhen the latter are in circular series formation and the distancebetween the adjacent hooks is such that there will be a clearancebetween the front end of one automobile and the rear end of adjacentautomobile, thus preventing the thrusting of one automobile with anydamaging effect against another while they are being translated, whilefurther providing `ample working space between adjacent automobiles forthe accommodation of a laborer in his movement from one side of theplatform to another or while the laborer is operating upon either thefront end or the rear end of a car under treatment.

At one point in the circular course which I have above referred to is acombined entrance and exit gangway, preferably formed of the samematerial as the platform 5, and as illustrated this gangway has anupwardly inclined section II which is appreciably wider at its lowestend so as to facilitate the entrance of automobiles desiring to enterthe course and to permit automobiles from one side of the gangway toproceed in an entering direction while the opposite side of the coursemay be utilized for the accommodation of automobiles seeking an exit.This gangway traverses the course and within the circle described by theinner guide 'I the said .l -gangway inclines downward against theplatform 5 and as illustrated it is flared so that it is wider at itsbase than at that point where it ap preaches the terminus of the surfaceA.

Within the building 6 is conventionally illustrated a power plant I8which embodies the endless driven cable I3 aforementioned which istrained through the groove I2 of the pulley or rail II and, asillustrated, itV passes from the power plant over an idler I9 where itextends for a slight distance on a line tangential to the Y automobilesmay be driven into the course by their own motive power, so thatY theymay be progressively positioned atr the left side of the gangway wherevit approaches the course. As

the automobiles progressively are advanced to this position their axlesare associated with the hooks I5 so that the automobiles will be drawn`in adirection toward the Yleft initially and then subsequently followaround the course until they approach the right hand end ofthe gangwayat which time the hooks I5 are released from the axles and the carsproceed to take exit paths along the lines indicated by the arrowsdesignated outV in Figure 1 Instead of driving or guiding the cars fromthe course to the exit pointA ofthe gangway I6, the cars may bedeflected into the space defined by the inner guide 'I wherein grease orlubricating racks may be provided upon which automobiles to belubricated can be mounted.

It will be understood that when the cars are positioned upon the coursethe draft cable'I3 is placed in slow motion. It will be furtherappreciated that the diameter of the circular course herein described iscalculated with respect to the speed imparted to the draft cable andwith respect to the number of operatives operating upon the cars in thecourse, so as to allow for the completecleaning of an automobile in onecomplete cycle thereof over the course. I find that the mechanism' whichI have herein pro-V vided will allow for the quick handling ofautomobiles and thethorough treatment thereof in a minimum space of timeand with thoroughness and slight expense.

I claim: K

1. A stationary platform on which automobiles are adapted to be receivedand moved, guide means onthe platform for causing automobiles to bemoved overa dened course upon theplatform, draft means following thedefined course, means carried by the draft means adapted to bedetachably associated with the automobiles so as to hold them indefinite spacedrelationrto each other while positioned*'alongY thecourse, means for operating the draft means, anda gangway traversing thecourse, and co-operable therewith to' enable automobiles tobesuccessively moved thereover and to enter said coursev andv to besubsequently conducted fromy the course by way of said gangway.

2; A stationary platform on which automobilesare adapted tol be receivedand moved, means for defining a course `upon theplatform tube traversedbyzautomobiles during the periodici 35"?? translation thereof, draftmeans following the, outline of the course, mechanism forA drivingthedraft means, the platform having a portion within the boundary ofvthe courseand` aportion exterior of the boundary of the course, and agangway connectingl the latter portion ofV the.- platform with` theformer portion thereof aridtjraversing the course so that automobilesmay be driven from the exterior portion of thepla-tform to a positionwithin the course and from the lat-` ter over the gangway to theportionfofthe p1at form exterior of the boundary ofthe course,V

3. A platform on which automobiles are adapted to be received andmoved,A concentric spaced` apart guides rising from the platform` andicie-- ning a course between which said guides the wheels of anautomobile may be disposed so as to guide the automobile in the intervalof translating the same along the course, means posi-` tioned inconcentric relation to the guides and last means adapted to be placed incontinuous .665 motion, mechanism for driving the said means,V Y

and means to permit automobiles to be inducted to and to-Y substantiallytraverse the course and to be thence conducted from the course.

4- In an apparatus for'use in the Ycleaningand 05.5

polishing of automobiles, a stationary platform on which automobiles.,are adapted torbe received andV moved, means to permit automobiles to berespectively runonto and off of the' platform,

mechanism for moving the automobiles on the 703i" platform, and means onthe platform for definitely guiding the automobilesV during movementthereof. Y

5. In an apparatus as embodied in claim 4' wherein said mechanism isdetachably asso,- iii between said guides, means for causing movement ofsaid power imparting means in the direction of travel of vehiclesthereon and means for operatively connecting said power imparting meanswith vehicles to move them along said 5 runway.

ALBERT A. SMALLHOUSE.

